Why the Presidential Debate Should Have Covered the Issue of Judicial Nominations

In this Politico post, I expanded on my recent VC post about dogs that didn’t bark during last night’s presidential debate. It was especially unfortunate that both candidates and the moderator completely ignored the issue of judicial nominations:

[N]either of the candidates or the moderator even mentioned judicial nominations, even though this is one of the areas where a president can have his biggest impact. The next president may well appoint as many as two or three Supreme Court justices, and numerous lower court judges. Those judges will likely serve for decades after he leaves the Oval Office, wielding enormous influence over the constitutional rights of all Americans. And there are big differences between the two parties on overall judicial philosophy, and specific constitutional issues such as federalism, property rights, free speech, and executive power.

For most presidents, the judges they appoint are among their most important and longest-lasting legacies.